Compressor.



F. E. NORTON.

COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27,1913.

l 1 97,65 3 2/0 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Witnesses I nventor,

., Fred E. Nor-ton.

F. E. NORTON.

COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG.Z7, 1913- Patentedse nlzww.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Fig.2.

Witnesses:

F. E. NORTON.

COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED AU.27. 1913.

1,197,653. PatentedSept.12,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wat-messes: Invento f ZZZ. {6w Fred Ea Nor-ton W- WM ay.

F. E. NORTON.

COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27.1913.

I 1,1 97,653, PatentedSept. 12, 1916.

5 $HEET$SHEET 4- Fig.4.

wlbnesses Inventor;

F'r-ed E. Norton.

F. E. NORTON.

COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27.1913.

1,1 97,653. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

4 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5. 47 54 .-r

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Witnesses Inventor:

$6 24 Fred E. Norton,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED E. NORTON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed August 27, 1913. Serial No. 786,831..

To all 'urhom it may'conqern Be it known that I, FRED E. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to centrifugal compressors and the like, particularly compressors of this type which are intended to increase the pressure of a large volume of air or other elastic fluid to a moderate extent, and to the combination of a plurality of centrifugal compressor units in a multistage machine.

The object of my invention is to improve centrifugal compressors as regards both their action and'their construction, and it comprises various novel features of operation and construction and various novel combinations and arrangements of parts.

I have hereinafter shown and described several machines constructed in accordance with my invention in which air or other fluid is compressed partly under the direct action of the rotary impeller and partly in suitable nozzle passages through which it passes after leaving the impeller, these machines being of the double-sided type and therefore practically self-balancing. It isto be understood, however, that while my in vention extends to various specific features and details of the forms of embodiment hereinafter described, such features and details being of importance on account of their special advantages, yet the invention is not confined to these embodiments and their details, but can be otherwise carried out and applied. 7

Various advantages obtainable in connection with the invention will appear in the following description, while its scope will be indicated in my claims.

In the accompanying; drawing Figure l is a view in vertical axial section through a single compressor unit in a plane taken on line 11 in Fig. 3 as seen from the right of said line, said section extending through the fluid inlet; Fig. 2 shows the machine in section in a plane taken on line 22 in Fig. l as seen from the right of this line, said section again extending through the inlet; Fig. 3 shows the machine in section through the impeller and the fluid discharge in a plane taken on line 3-3 in. Fig. 1 as seen from the left of this line, said section extending through the outlet; Fig. 4 shows the machine in section in a plane taken on line H in Fig. 3 as seen from the left of this line, said section'again extending through the outlet; Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating a three-stage compressor constructed in accordance with my invention, certain parts being shown in section or broken away; Fig. (3 is a plan view of the same machine; and Fig. 7 tain parts being shown in section or broken away.

As will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the double-sided rotary impeller l shown comprises two sets of vanes or blades 2 of general spiral or involute shape arranged about a hub 3 on opposite sides of a central disk or web 4 which merges gradually'into the hub 3, the vanes of each set lying between the web 4 and an outside annular web or shrouding 5 of somewhat greater is an end elevation, cerexternal diameter than the web 4, and

the impeller as a whole being symmetrical with reference to the plane of the web 4. The vanes 2 and the webs 4 and 5 form a plurality of passages 6 extending bot-h circumferentially and radially, and the air enters at each side of the impeller 1 centrally and in an axial direction through the annular opening 7 beto the impeller the streams of air are dis charged backward and move counter-clockwise in an oblique or even tangential direction, yet absolutely they move clockwise, and the streams from each side of the impeller 1 immediately unite in an outwardly tending stream flowing in a clockwise direction which also in some degree temporarily merges with the similar stream from the other side. Vhile this form of impeller with backward discharging vanes especially suitable fog low pressure conditions forms lbs I peller and rectly downward into a part'of my invention, yet it is not an essential feature thereof, since various other forms of impeller can be used in compressors constructed in accordance with the invention.

The impeller or rotor 1, it will be seen, is mounted on a shaft 8 and inclosed in a chamber 9 in a casing 10. The air is conducted or supplied to each of the inlet openings 7 of the impeller 1 through an inlet 11 extending up through the exterior wall of the casing 10 and through one of two duplicate approximately central'infiow chambers or passages 12 which lie at opposite sides of the impeller chamber 9 and communicate directly with said inlet. As it leaves the impeller 1, the air moves outward in a clearance space in the chamber 9 around the imgradually diminishes in velocity in consequence of the outwardly increasing area of this space. It is finally received and conducted away through circumferential annular discharge chambers or passages 13 that extend almost completely around the chambers 9 and 12 and through an outlet 15 more or less similar to the inlet 11. Except for these inlet and outlet openings 11 and 14 in its lower portion, the casing 10 is e ternally of a circular form, and its circumferential wall is concentric with the shaft 8, so that it differs quite markedly from ceutrifugal compressors or blowers as constructed prior to my invention. It is symmetrical; also, with reference to the plane of the central web 4 of the impeller 1, the portion on each side thereof roughly resembling a torus with a portion sliced 0E atthat plane.

The impeller chamber 9, it will be seen, lies between two double partition walls 15 at opposite sides of the impeller 1, the annular space 16 between the walls at each side of the impeller serving for the circulation of water or other fluid whereby the interior of the compressor may be cooled to reduce the work of compression. The inflow chambers 1) lie between the walls 15 and the end walls 17 of the casing 16, and they open dithe inlet 11 at opposite sides of the impeller chamber 9, and also communicate with said chamber 9 (see Fig. 1) through openings 18 in the walls 15 that register with the outer edges of the openings 7 of the impeller 1. The fluid passing out through the outflow or discharge chambers 13 is separated. from that entering through the inflow chambers 12 by curved partition walls 19 which extend across between the partitions 15 and the end walls of the casing and eccentrically around the openings 18. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the chambers and the passage 11 are in consequence not arranged symmetrically with reference to the openings 18, but eccentrically in a sort of piral or scroll, so that part of the fluid on around above and passes up'into each chamber 12 in a stream that tends to one side of its opening 18 and down to the other .side of said opening; this has the two-fold effect of causing a uniform admission or flow of fluid through the opening 18 ,to the impeller 1 and of causing the fluid to 17158 to the vanes of the impeller with as little shock as possible.

The outflow chambers or passages 13 extend around between the spiral or scroll-like partitions 19 on the inside and the circumferential wall 20 of the casing 10 and a partition wall 21 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is in effect a prolongation of said wall 20 across the middle of the inlet 11 on theoutside. Each of them communicates circumferentially and at one side with the circumferential clearance space of the impeller chamber 9 where the air begins to lose velocity between the rounded outer edges of the corre sponding partition 15 and the opposite side of the V-shaped inwardly projecting ridge 2% at the. intersection of the two torus sur faces of the wall 20. The sides and edges of the partitions 15 and the sides of the ridge 22 are preferably so designed that the circularly arranged or annular throats 23 between them constitute the chief means hereinbefore referred to as causing the slowing down and the further c'ompressionof the air after it leaves the impeller 1,this effect being greater in them than in the outer clearance in the chamber 9:.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the throats 23 are most constricted at their entrances and thence gradually diverge until they merge in the outflow passage 13 prope this wholly divergent form being best adapted for converting the velocity of the air from the impeller into a moderate pressure such as the machine illustrated is intended to produce. The throats 23 should, of course, be substantially uniform all the way around, both as regards width of entrance and variation in area beyond this point, since the air from the impeller Ii everywhere enters them in substantially the same quantity and with substantially the same velocity and pressure. At the outlet 14, where the ridge 22 does not exist, the sides and edges of the partition 1.5 should be designed so as to give a threat action equivalent to that of the two throats that exist elsewhere.

After the air from the two sides of the impeller 1 is divided by the ridge 22 nd passes through the throats into the outhow passages 13, it flows on around clock wise to the outlet 14,111 two "constantly growing streams, and the outflow passages 13, therefore, increase in area all the way around to accommodate the growth of the streams, and accordingly have a sort of spiral or scroll-like form the reverse of that of the inflow chambers 12. if they are de- 32 and stops short at the other. .The im-' signed merely to accommodate the growing streams of air (for they may, if desired, be designed so that they shall also have a nozzle or throat action and give some additional conversion of velocity into pressure), the airwill be conveyed by them to the outlet 14: with substantially the same velocity as it had on issuing from the throats 23,- which, for example, may'be50 feet per second as compared with 200 'feet per second for the air as it leaves the impeller 1. As will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the increase in area of the passagdlB-begms near the bottom. of the chambers 9 and 131 i From about the region 24 (Fig. 3) on around clockwise toabout the region 25 (Figs. 2 and 3), the increase takes place principally by an'endwise widening of the chambers 13, and thence on around to the outlet 14 it is largely or principally due to the turning inward of the partition 19. While the outer clearance space of the impeller chamber 9, the throats 23, and the outflow passages 13 are in the main successively traversed by the air and are. functionally more or less diflerent as above indicated, nevertheless it will be seen that'in a sense they are all parts of one single annular outflov path or passage of gradually increasing area surrounding the impeller chamber 9 .and the inflow chamber 12.

The inlet passage 11 and outlet passage 14 are separated from one another by a partition 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) that extends up from the bottom of the casing 10 where the separate inlet and outlet conduits 27 and 28 are secured to the latter and join the partition 21 at 29. The conduit 28, it will be seen, is-

smaller than the conduit 27, the difference corresponding more or less to the increase in pressure produced in the machine.

Referring, now, to the structuralfeatures of the machine, it will be observed that the casing 10 is made in lower and upper halves 30 and 31 which may be bolted or otherwise secured together, the lower half containing the inlet and outlet passages 11 and 14 and the upper half serving, as it were, as a cover. The end walls 17 are in part integral with the rest of the casing and in part consist of more or less nearly conical shaped pieces -32 (Figs. 1 and 4) bolted in circular openings in the portionsof the end walls that are integral with the rest of the casing. The shaft 8 extends through one of these parts peller 1 is keyed or otherwise secured against turning on a slightly reduced portion of the shaft 8 and held'by a collar 33 screwed on its end. The interior partitions are for the most part integral with the lower and upper halves Y30 and 31 of the casing; but the inner walls of the double walled partitions 15 are formed by sepa-v rate annular parts 34 which fit between the greatly enhances the portions of the walls 15 which are in the lower and upper halves of the casing. As shown, each of these parts 3st has at its inner edge two grooves 35 (Fig. 1) which receive rings 36 on the inner edges of the shrouding 5 of the impeller 1, the object being to prevent or impededeakage of the fluid from the impeller back to the inflow chambers 12. These rings are shown as on a separate part 37 threaded or otherwise removably secured on the shrouding 5: this construction permits them to be made of copper or the like so that they will wear if they come in contact with the associated portions of the partitions 15 above described (as they are liable to do in consequence of tempera 'ture changes or distortions of the parts), and can easily be replaced when excessively worn.

1 The construction of the impeller casing 10 which I have described permits it to be made more compact and of smaller diameter than is possible with previous cohstructions, and also simplifies the patterns necessary for casting it and reduces the amount of metal required and consequently the weight. An important feature of the casing in the securing of these advantages is the spiral ar-,

the machine.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I have indicated somewhat diagrammatically how my invention may be adapted and applied in connection with multistage machines. In

the structure illustrated, there are three stages consisting of as many complete, separate unitsl, 42 and 43 such as above described with their rotors on a common shaft 44. It will be seen that the inlet 45 of the left-hand unit 41 and the outlet 46 of the right-hand unit 43 are at the top instead of at the bottom. As shown, the upper halves of the casings of all these units are united good appearance of in a single casting 47, and the lower halves units may also be made separate and bolted together, which construction has the advantage of allowing any number of intermediate stage units desired to be introduced between two suitable terminal stage units. The stages do not coi'nmunicate directly within their casing, but are. all. mounted on a-base 48 which has passages or conduits 49 likewise,though the casings of the several connecting the outlet 50 of the first stage unit d1 with the inlet 51 of the intermediate stage unit 42 and the outlet 52 of the intermcdiate stage unit 42 with the inlet 53 of the last stage unit 43. From the base 48 walls 5% extend upward around the compressor units and form a tank iuclosing them in which water or other cooling fluid may be circulated in any suitable manner,- as by means of inlet and outlet pipes 55 and 56 and diaphragms 57 which cause the water to traverse the casings of the various stages and the submerged stage connections on its way from the inlet to the outlet.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,--

1. A compressor comprising a rotary impeller and a circular casing therefor whose circumferential wall is concentric with the impeller, said casing having at one side of the impeller, a circumferential outflow passage which communicates sidewise and cii= cumferentially therewith and which also communicates with an outlet from the easing and gradually increases in cross section toward said outlet, and said casin g also having at the side of the impeller an inflow chamber whose outer wall is formed by the inner wall of said outflow passage.

. 2. A compressor for elastic fluid comprising a rotary impeller and a casing in which said impeller is inclosed having a chamber for the impeller with an opening for admitting fluid sidewise into the impeller and also having therein an annular outflow passage extending around said opening which at one side communicates circumterentially with. the impeller throu h a throat adapted to convert the velocity oi' the fluid passing through it into pressure and which also.

communicates with an outlet-from the casing, said outflow passage gradually increasing in crossrsectional area toward said outlet.

3. A compressor for elastic fluid comprising a rotary impeller which imparts velocity to the fluid and a circular casing in which said impeller is inclosed whose circumferen tial wall is concentric with the impeller, said casing having therein an inflow chamber for supplying fluid to the impeller and an outflow passage extending around said inflow chamber which receives fluid from the impeller through divergent nozzle means and communicates with an outlet from the easing, the cross-sectional area of said passage gradually increasing toward said outlet.

4. A compressor comprising a rotary impeller and a circular casing whose circumferential wall is concentric with the in'ipeller having therein a chamber in which said impeller is inclosed, an inflow chamber for supplying fluid centrally to the ii'npe ler which is itself eccentric with reference to the opening therefrom to the impeller, and an out flow chamber extending around said inflow chamber which communicates circumferentially with the chamber containing the impeller and which also communicates with an outlet from the casing, the cross-scclional area of said outflow chamber gradhall); increasing toward said outlet.

5. A compressor comprising a rotary inipeller and a circular casing whose circum ferential wall is concentric with the impeller having a chamber in which the impeller is inclosed with an opening for admitting fluid sidewise into the impeller and an annular outflow passage for receiving fluid from the impeller with which said chamber containing the impeller communicates circumferentially, said outflow passage being separated from the fluid entering the impeller by a wall extending spirally about the opening into the impeller and communicating with an outlet from the casing toward which it gradually increases in cross-sectional area, the increase in crosssectional area toward the outlet being-min part due to increasing extension of the outflow chamber sidewise and in part to the spiral arrangement of the wall aforesaid.

('3. A compressor comprising a rotary impeller and a circular casing in which said impeller is inclosed whose circumferential wall is concentric. with the in'ipeller, said casing ha ring inlet a lid outlet openings adjacent one another and also having at one side of the impeller reversed spiral inflow and outflow passages or chambers communicating respectively with said inlet and with said outlet, the former of which supplies fluid centrally to the impeller while the latter extends around the former and receives fluid from the impeller through a divergent an nular throat, said outflow passage or chamber gradually increasing in crosssectional area toward said outlet.

7. A compressor comprising a rotary impeller and a circular casing whose circumferential wall is concentric with the impeller having therein a chamber in. which said impeller is inclosed, an inflow chamber at either side of said impeller chamber with an opening for the supply of fluid to the impeller, and outflow passages for receiving fluid from the impeller extending around said inflow chan'ibers and separated from the latter by walls which extend eccentris (rally aboutthe openings to the impeller, said outflow passages communicating with an outlett'rom therasing at l gradually in creasing in cross-sectional area toward said outlet. i

8. A compressor Comprising a rotary im-' peller which acts to impart velocity to the fluid to be compressed and discharges it in two streams and a circular casing for the impeller whose circumferential wall is concentric therewith having therein at opposite sides of the impeller annular circumferential outflow passages for receiving said streams and conveying the fluid from the casing, the communication-between the impeller and said passages being so shaped that as each stream passes from the impeller to the outflow passage which receives it its velocity is diminished and its pressure increased, and each of said passages gradually increasing in cross-sectional area toward the outlet by which the fluid passing through it leaves the I casing.

9. A compressor comprising a doublesided rotary impeller which acts to impart velocity to the fluid to be compressed and discharges it peripherally in two outwardly tending streams and a circular casing whose circumferential wall is concentric with the impeller having therein a chamber in which said impeller is inclosed, reversed spiral inflow and outflow passages or chambers at opposite sides of the impeller chamber the former of which supply fluid centrally to the corresponding sides of the impeller while the latter extend around the former and recelve the streams of fluid from the corresponding sides of the impeller through divergent annular throats which extend outwardly and sidewise into them from the impeller chamber and act to diminish the velocity of the streams and increase their pressure, said outflow passages or chambers communicating with an outlet from the casing and gradually increasing 111 cross-sectional area toward said outlet.

10. A compressor comprising a rotary impeller having vanes arranged to impart velocity to the fluid undergoing compression, a circular casing that surrounds the impeller whose circumferential wall is concentric with the axis thereof, walls at the sides of the impeller that cooperate with the casing to form throats through which the fluid from the impeller flows in two streams, said throats acting to change velocity of the fluid ing rotors which are mq'nntedgon a common I l l shaft, a caslng for each umt, the clrcumferent-ial wall of which is concentric with its rotor, said casing being formed in upper and lower halves and provided with admission and discharge openings, said admission opening communicating with an inflow chamber for supplying fluid to both sides of the impeller, and said discharge opening;

communicating with a chamber which surrounds the inflow chamber and receives fluid from the impeller, and a common base upon which said casings are supported, said base having therein passages for connecting the outlet of one unit with the inlet of the next unit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set Ilny hand this twenty-third day of August,

FRED E. NORTON.

Witnesses v GEORGE E. BRYANT, HARRY SMITH. 

